The Public Honors College
St. Mary's College of Maryland
Move In Day

Core Curriculum
Contact Information

Elizabeth Nutt Williams, Ph.D.
Dean of the Core Curriculum and First Year Experience
St. Mary's College of Maryland
18952 E. Fisher Rd.
St. Mary's City, MD 20686

Phone: (240) 895-4467
Email: enwilliams@smcm.edu


Ruth Feingold, Ph.D
Assistant Dean of the Core Curriculum and Advising Program
(contact for Experiencing the Liberal Arts in the World)

Phone: (240) 895-4388
Email: rpfeingold@smcm.edu


Administrative Assistant:
Diane Wimberly
Phone: (240) 895-2185

Fax: (240) 895-2234

Peer Mentor Program


Advanced undergraduate students (with junior or senior standing) at St. Mary's College of Maryland can apply to be Peer Mentors for the First Year Seminars held each fall. The Peer mentors help lead discussion, facilitate "5th Hour" events for each section of the class, and provide an advanced student perspective within the Seminars. Peer mentors attend every session of the First Year Seminar section to which they are assigned, with the exception of when there is a peer mentor group meeting. Peer mentors will meet as a group several times during the semester with the Dean of the Core Curriculum and First Year Experience. Peer mentors receive academic credit for the experience, as they concurrently take CORE401, the Peer Mentoring Practicum.

The Dean of the Core Curriculum and First Year Experience will send out a call for applications by February each year. Students may apply by submitting a letter that details their interest, their class standing (students must be a junior or senior in the Fall during which they plan to be a peer mentor), their overall GPA, and why they think they would be a good peer mentor. Students should also send a resume, the name of one faculty member who could serve as a reference, and the section or sections of the First Year Seminar for which they would want to be considered.

Contact Dr. Libby Nutt Williams (Dean of the Core Curriculum and First Year Experience) at enwilliams@smcm.edu if you have questions.


Peer Mentors Fall 2009

Photo of Megan

Megan Anderson

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: English
Favorite Book: Neil Gaiman's American Gods; Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree; Robert Comier's The Chocolate War.
Favorite Movie: Garden State; Princess Mononoke
Favorite Food: Chocolate; Chicken Enchiladas
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: I love how photogenic St. Mary's is; I can spend an hour at the point and have an entire roll of film taken with some of the most beautiful pictures; it's very relaxing to be able to sit at the water and let the tide take your worries away

Photo of William

William Bell

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Economics
Favorite Book: The Great Gatsby
Favorite Movie: The Sandlot
Favorite Food: Crabs
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: The water

Photo of Elizabeth

Elizabeth Benge

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Political Science; Minor: Neuroscience
Favorite Book: To Kill a Mockingbird and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Favorite Movie: Aladdin
Favorite Food: Quesadilla Burger from Applebee's
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: The fact everyone embraces their differences instead of trying to hide them

Photo of Nathan

Nathan Bossie

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Political Science
Favorite Book: The Glass Bead Game; So Long and Thanks for All the Fish
Favorite Movie: The 25th Hour
Favorite Food: Indian Food
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: The Opportunities

Photo of Julia

Julia Brady

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Political Science; Minor: Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSX)
Favorite Book: Changes with every book I read
Favorite Movie: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Favorite Food: Macaroni and Cheese
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: The sunsets

Photo of Amanda

Amanda Bramble

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Psychology; Minor: Education
Favorite Book: Anything written by Jodi Picoult
Favorite Movie: Pride and Prejudice
Favorite Food: Apples
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: Field hockey and the water

Photo of Nora

Nora Burghardt

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Studio Art/English
Favorite Book: Dubliner's
Favorite Movie: There Will Be Blood
Favorite Food: Brownies
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: The big, open spaces

Photo of Jennifer

Jennifer Burroughs

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: English; Minor: International Languages & Cultures with a concentration in Latin American Studies; Minor: African and African- Diaspora Studies
Favorite Book: Shopgirl
Favorite Movie: The Women (1933)
Favorite Food: Caribbean Food
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: The friendliness

Photo of Ashleigh

Ashleigh Ducker

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Psychology; Minor: Neuroscience and Studio Art
Favorite Book: Eat, Pray, Love
Favorite Movie: What Dreams May Come
Favorite Food: Anything homemade
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: The sunset on the river

Photo of Jon

Jon Ford

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Biology
Favorite Book: Killer Angels
Favorite Movie: The Big Lebowski
Favorite Food: Chipolte Burritos
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: The Waterfront and the Professors

Photo of Patrick Michael

Patrick Michael Gilbert

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Economics; Minor: Music
Favorite Book: The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Favorite Movie: High School Musical III
Favorite Food: Biscuits and Gravy
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: I really like everything about St. Mary's!

Photo of Jessica Saige

Jessica Saige Gillespie

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Sociology and Anthropology; Minor: Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSX)
Favorite Book: Ender's Gamer by Orson Scott Card
Favorite Movie: The Notebook
Favorite Food: Chocolate Ice Cream
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: The welcoming and accepting atmosphere; it's almost tangible.

Photo of Alexander

Alexander Hernandez

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Biology and Psychology: Minor: Neuroscience
Favorite Book: Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
Favorite Movie: Jurassic Park
Favorite Food: My Grandmother's Cuban Cookin'
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: The students, the professors (and staff) and SMCM's outdoors (waterfront and the Point

Photo of Kelli

Kelli Hill

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Psychology; Minor: Educational Studies
Favorite Book: Harry Potter series
Favorite Movie: Legally Blonde
Favorite Food: Mashed Potatoes
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: I love how you can go anywhere on campus and find someone you know. There are so many ways to get involved and class standing never prohibits you from taking on a leadership position.

Photo of Kaitlin Michelle

Kaitlin Michelle Hines

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Psycology; Minor: Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSX)
Favorite Book: Harry Potter Series; Princess Bride, Life of Pi and the Twilight Series
Favorite Movie: Princess Bride, Mr. & Mrs. Smith; Iron Man and Pirates of the Caribbean
Favorite Food: Asian especially sushi and eel
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: My favorite thing about SMCM is the people.SMCM has an amazing student body and awesome professors! Everyone supports each other academically and socially. The people I've met here are defiantly unforgettable and I will hold onto these friendships for years to come!

Photo of Claire

Claire Jamieson

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Human Studies/English; Minor: Philosophy
Favorite Book: As I Lay Dying, William Faulkner; Complete Stories of Franz Kapka
Favorite Movie: Annie Hall
Favorite Food: Thai
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: North Woods and the Point

Photo of Cassandra

Cassandra King

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Psychology
Favorite Book: The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
Favorite Movie: Lilo and Stitch
Favorite Food: Sushi
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: The teachers. They are always ready and willing to help students and do their best to create a challenging and exciting classroom environment

Photo of Patrick Jusu

Patrick Jusu Koroma

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Political Science & Public Policy
Favorite Movie: A Few Good Men
Favorite Food: Anything that Tastes Delicious
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: The people (professors, students and staff)

Photo of Megan

Megan Lantz

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: History; Minor: Educational Studies
Favorite Book: Pride and Prejudice
Favorite Movie: Miss Congeniality
Favorite Food: French Fries
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: The atmosphere; friendly, inviting, the water!

Photo of Artemis

Artemis Mahvi

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Public Policy and Sociology; Minor: Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSX)
Favorite Book: Harry Potter series
Favorite Movie: Ever After
Favorite Food: Iranian
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: Because of the size of the student body it is easy to build long lasting relationships with both your peers and professors. St. Mary's is a great place to get the best out of your education.

Photo of John

John Marth

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: English
Favorite Book: The Secret History by Donna Tartt; Tolstoy
Favorite Movie: Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
Favorite Food: Restaurant!
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: This is the only place I've been where the people surprise me. We have a significant number of articulate freaks and athletes who will defy your expectations daily.

Photo of Melissa

Melissa Mercer

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: History; Minor: Museum Studies
Favorite Book: Pride and Prejudice
Favorite Movie: The Departed
Favorite Food: Steamed Crabs
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: The atmosphere. Everyone here is so friendly that it's never hard to meet new people and becuase of that there's always something to do. I've loved living on the greens this past year because it's nice to just walk out of my house and see people I know and go and hangout with them. There defintiely is nowhere else like SMCM.

Allison Minor

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies
Favorite Book: Dreams of Trespass by Fatima Mernissi's
Favorite Movie: Little Miss Sunshine
Favorite Food: Stove-popped Popcorn
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: It's a beautiful place and the people seem to have a great attitude towards living and learning.

Photo of Ian

Ian Prince

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: TFMS Theater Focus and English
Favorite Book: Born Standing Up by Steve Martin
Favorite Movie: Conan the Barbarian
Favorite Food: Chicken Tikka Masala (served as a Balti dish)
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: Take One! Improv Club

Photo of Hollin

Hollin Roberts

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Human Studies; Minor: Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSX)
Favorite Book: Like Water for Chocolate
Favorite Movie: TV-Show: That 70’s Show, Veronica Mars
Favorite Food: Donuts
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: Swimming in the river; small community fee; professors; supportive friends

Mariel Sylvia Saez

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Economics
Favorite Book: Beloved by Toni Morrison
Favorite Movie: Boondock Saints
Favorite Food: Cream of Crab Soup
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: Enjoying beautiful weather with friends at the waterfront!

Photo of Allison

Allison Shapiro-Davis

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Psychology; Minor: Spanish
Favorite Book: The Amber Spyglass, Phillip Pullman
Favorite Movie: 10 Things I Hate About You
Favorite Food: Reuben Sandwich
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: The friendliness of the students

Photo of Brittany

Brittany Sigley

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Art History; Minor: Museum Studies
Favorite Book: The Little Prince
Favorite Movie: Love Actually
Favorite Food: Guacamole
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: The People. You never know who you may meet

Photo of Alex

Alex Swope

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: English
Favorite Book: War and Peace
Favorite Movie: Jeremiah Johnson
Favorite Food: Shepherd's Pie
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: It feels like home

Photo of Kristen

Kristen Van Blargan

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: English; Minor: Asian Studies
Favorite Book: Possession by A.S. Byatt
Favorite Movie: Fanny and Alexander
Favorite Food: Sushi
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: The faculty

Photo of Mary

Mary Walters

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: English; Minor: Music and Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSX)
Favorite Book: The World According to Garp by John Irving
Favorite Movie: Emperor's New Groove
Favorite Food: Chili/Donuts
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: #15 Smoothie at the Grind and Midnight Breakfast

Photo of Ross

Ross Wixon

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Music
Favorite Book: Tourist Season by Carl Hiaasen
Favorite Movie: Hook
Favorite Food: Piemontese Cuisine
Favorite thing(s) about SMCM: The River Overlook by St. Mary's Hall

Aerial view of St. Mary's College of Maryland campus

St. Mary's College of Maryland
18952 E. Fisher Rd
St. Mary's City, MD 20686-3001
240-895-2000